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With Malice Toward None
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With Malice Toward None
Someone once said that more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other person in history save Jesus and Shakespeare. Indeed, it is impossible to understand the Civil War without getting to know the complex figure of the 16th president. More than any other biographer, Stephen B. Oates brings the plain-talking man from Illinois to life as a canny politician...more
Paperback, 1 page
Published
February 1st 1978
by Signet
(first published 1977)
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Feb 11, 2013
Doug
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
bio-autobio-memoir
My favorite Lincoln biography. Take this with a grain of salt. You know how this works when you critically assess another reader's statements - what often comes out is that it is very likely the reader's only foray into said biographies. :> Not quite true for me, I recently finished "Lincoln and Whitman: parallel lives in Civil War Washington". Another excellent read, with a finale that's hard to beat in the genre. Off to "Team of Rivals" we go . . .
No book has ever made me cry like this- then again, I don't read many biographies. It took me much longer to read than I anticipated. Not because it wasn't interesting- but because it was a long book with a lifetime's worth of detailed information. By the end I had really grown to love Lincoln and when his final days drew near I was deeply moved by his life and sacrifices and what he accomplished under what I can only describe as divine guidance.
Everyone ought to study history. We romanticize a...more
Everyone ought to study history. We romanticize a...more
Beautiful, lyrical prose.
Fascinating detail.
430 pages of detail!
Hm.
Is it bad that I wished the author had left out the whole Civil War part? Probably.
What I loved was the depiction of Lincoln, but this book is probably best suited to people already very knowledgeable of the Civil War. No battle maps, for instance; hope you know your Virginia geography! I have read a few of Jeff Shaara's books, visited war sites, and watched a few documentaries, so I followed the action well, but I couldn't help...more
Fascinating detail.
430 pages of detail!
Hm.
Is it bad that I wished the author had left out the whole Civil War part? Probably.
What I loved was the depiction of Lincoln, but this book is probably best suited to people already very knowledgeable of the Civil War. No battle maps, for instance; hope you know your Virginia geography! I have read a few of Jeff Shaara's books, visited war sites, and watched a few documentaries, so I followed the action well, but I couldn't help...more
Sep 07, 2009
Sherrie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
i-own-this-book,
already-read
"With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln" by Stephen B. Oates
(Product Description) [From Amazon.com:]
A masterful biography of Lincoln that follows his bitter struggle with poverty, his self-made success in business and law, his early disappointing political career, and his leadership as President during one of America's most tumultuous periods.
This is part of th...more
(Product Description) [From Amazon.com:]
A masterful biography of Lincoln that follows his bitter struggle with poverty, his self-made success in business and law, his early disappointing political career, and his leadership as President during one of America's most tumultuous periods.
"I shall do nothing in malice. What I deal with is too vast for malicious dealing."
A. Lincoln to a Louisiana Unionist, 1862
This is part of th...more
I had to read and write a book review for my History class a few years back and this was on the book list and I chose it because I could listen to it at work and thought it would be easy. Turned out not so much. First of all it was like 18 tapes - TAPES mind you not CD's. Second of all it was the most boring book I've ever HAD to read (or listen to). However, on the flip side I learned a great deal about Abraham Lincoln and his life. I had no idea he ran for office before he was president. I gue...more
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This is another excellent Biography of President Lincoln. I didn't love it as much as Doris Kearns Goodwin's "A Team of Rivals"; but I think that's because this author showed not only Lincoln's brilliant mind, but his inadequacies/weaknesses. With A Team of Rivals, I was left in awe of Lincoln. This book made him seem more human, with real human flaws.
I learned some new facts about Lincoln, including notes from his bodyguard about a dream he had about his assassination. (It was more in depth th...more
I learned some new facts about Lincoln, including notes from his bodyguard about a dream he had about his assassination. (It was more in depth th...more
Very enjoyable. Its hard to really know someone through a biography by someone who never even spoke with the man and it makes me wonder how much is true. With that being said...Lincoln is a completely different person than I think he has been portrayed throughout history. I see a lot of similarities in the reaction of the people toward Lincoln and people toward Obama. Their platforms are not similar in my opinion, but if you go by what people say about being qualified for the presidency Lincoln...more
Feb 17, 2013
Russ
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Americans
Recommended to Russ by:
Beth
I was looking for a good, comprehensive biography of Abraham Lincoln's life. Mission accomplished.
Of course, you will learn all about Lincoln's political life, but you also get a sense of who he was as a person. A son, a friend, a father, a husband, a community member. Looking back, we think of Lincoln as a strong, intelligent man of leadership. And he was, but it took him a while to get there. He has his problems and weaknesses just like any other human being.
A reader of this book will see how...more
Of course, you will learn all about Lincoln's political life, but you also get a sense of who he was as a person. A son, a friend, a father, a husband, a community member. Looking back, we think of Lincoln as a strong, intelligent man of leadership. And he was, but it took him a while to get there. He has his problems and weaknesses just like any other human being.
A reader of this book will see how...more
Although this book hit the shelves over 35 years ago, it is still relevant and highly readable today. In light of all the recent interest in President Lincoln, this book should be read by anyone who has seen the recent motion picture. It is fascinating to read how Lincoln was attacked from all sides -- secessionists, abolitionists, northern Copperheads, the press, certain military leaders, and list goes on and on. In the beginning, all Lincoln wanted to do was prevent slavery from spreading west...more
I don't read a lot of biographies, so I don't have a lot of material to judge them against. That said, this one was less than I'd hoped.
It started out okay, probably because there is not much data on Lincoln's birth and early years. Oates was free to "tell a story". However, once there was recorded information available, Oates felt a need to put every single piece into his text. It reminded me of some of the term papers I'd written freshman year of college. Really, does anyone need to know every...more
It started out okay, probably because there is not much data on Lincoln's birth and early years. Oates was free to "tell a story". However, once there was recorded information available, Oates felt a need to put every single piece into his text. It reminded me of some of the term papers I'd written freshman year of college. Really, does anyone need to know every...more
A biography of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen B.Oates changed my perspective of politics and history.Before I read this book,I was not interested in biography books at all.Lincoln is my one of the favorite historical figure and that is why I really enjoyed to read this biography.If you want to learn different ways of Abraham Lincoln, you should read it.His biography and historical information designed very accurate.In my opinion, Lincoln is one of the best America's leaders.I highly recommended Linc...more
4.5 Stars. I read this biography as part of a class studying Lincoln's Rhetoric. The only reason I didn't give the book a full five stars is because it doesn't process the impact of Lincoln's death or the way Lincoln has effectivly become an American myth whom we praise more and more and seem to understand less and less. Lincoln's life was remarkable and you can read between the lines to see how he grew in his devotion to God and in his desire to bless America until his death.
Absolutely phenomenal. This is the single best biography on anyone I have read thus far, and on one of the greatest Presidents who ever served the United States of America. While incredibly informative, it reads less like a biography and more like story, in that it isn't as cut and dry as many biographies tend to be. It does get a little confusing when Lincoln's Cabinet members are discussed in terms of keeping track of who is who, but otherwise it is fairly straightforward and rarely diverts fr...more
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Very detailed but readable account of Lincoln's early life, his professional carrer as a lawyer, his rise in politics, and his troubled presidency. Also the story of the civil war and the political turmoil during those times, mostly from the point of view of the North.
Book ends in a very moving account of Lincoln's death, his funeral train ride through the cities and countryside with somber people lining the tracks back to burial site in Springfield.
Book ends in a very moving account of Lincoln's death, his funeral train ride through the cities and countryside with somber people lining the tracks back to burial site in Springfield.
This was the first "adult" book that I read. I was six-years-old when it came out. It is still one of the best biographies of Abraham Lincoln ever written. I've read several others since then and I still gravitate to this book for the insights and the clear writing. This should be a must read on every Abraham Lincoln aficionado's list!
Okay, so I didn't finish this book either (sensing a trend?? I need a good recommendation to get me back into reading!) But this was a book club book and I enjoyed what I was able to finish before seeing the Lincoln movie- which was EXCELLENT. I bought this on my Kindle, so perhaps I'll get back to it... (perhaps)
Simply fantastic overview of Lincoln's life. Beautifully written and well-paced. Oates does communicate to you, by way of his expert brevity, that this is a survey of things that could be delved into much deeper. Politically and humanistically balanced, every word here rang true. It read like a novel, to quote the nonfiction cliche on its cover. I know there's supposed to be a Donald book on Lincoln that is the definitive one-volume biography, but I couldn't be more satisfied with this book. Dis...more
This text may seem tedious in regard to the details of Lincoln's early life. I found later that these details aided in my understanding of Lincoln's decisions in office. At the conclusion of the text, I felt I knew Lincoln personally and may have even shed a tear reading about his death:)
Jan 01, 2010
Kristina
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
bio-and-autobiography,
history
This is a great biography on Abraham Lincoln and a fairly easy read. It is interesting how many misconceptions I had about him because of myths and half-truths I learned in school, or it could have been me not listening to the whole story. What a hard, sad life he led in private. I will always respect him for sacrificing his personal happiness to save the United States as a union.
I struggled quite a bit in deciding which Lincoln biography I should read. I think I made a good choice; this book is quite readable and enjoyable.
In retrospect, I'm surprised how little I knew about Lincoln and the Civil War before reading this book. Lincoln is pretty universally agreed to be one of our greatest presidents, but what does the average person really know about him? The Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, winning the war and "Honest Abe". So without having read any...more
In retrospect, I'm surprised how little I knew about Lincoln and the Civil War before reading this book. Lincoln is pretty universally agreed to be one of our greatest presidents, but what does the average person really know about him? The Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, winning the war and "Honest Abe". So without having read any...more
Read this for my Civil War and Reconstruction class and loved it so much. It only intensified my hero-worship of Lincoln. Great insights, lots of historical drama, and you can't come away from this book without feeling like Lincoln was the noblest and shrewdest and maybe most empathetic president we've ever had.
This was a wonderful biography with so many details that I had never learned in my younger years. AL was president in a difficult time, and managed to wade through the support and opposition to his office, and make the right decisions. I am in awe.
This is one of the best historical biographies I've ever read. Lincoln has always been a favourite historical figure of mine, ever since I did a module on him at university - I only wish we'd used this book instead some of the texts we did! Oates really brings him to life, through his own words and the words of others, and this is so well-written and engaging that it almost reads as easily as a novel. And he doesn't stint on Lincoln's early life either, as so many tend to - rushing through the m...more
If you thought good ole Abe Lincoln was perfect and popular, this books will change your mind. This book portrays him as a good man and a hero, but it does so accurately. The book was written in a fairly entertaining way for a biography.
May 03, 2012
Melissa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
biography
Very well-researched biography. It doesn't seem to have any strong bias. I really liked the emphasis on "Malice toward none." Oats shows how Lincoln lived out that principle in his life by forgiving the errors and betrayals of those around him. The book doesn't portray Lincoln as perfect or a secret villain, but as who he was, an idealistic and ambitious man.
The Book was just amazing....
Failure after failure to a single success... Only those who have read this'll get to it...
And There is none just like him and there'll be never one just like him
Failure after failure to a single success... Only those who have read this'll get to it...
And There is none just like him and there'll be never one just like him
This book shares the story of President Lincoln and what went on around that time. Reading this book helped me appreciate what a President had to go through during the Civil War. Excellent read.
Finally finished this book -- I started it about two years ago! It is a bit dry in the beginning, but really interesting by the end. It has a low-key feel and is very readable.
Listened to audiobook from Recorded Books.
Narrated By: Nelson Runger
The Los Angeles Times hails this biography as the finest ever written. With an outstanding blend of brilliant scholarship and entertaining style, Professor Stephen B. Oates brings us closer than ever before to knowing the real Abraham Lincoln. Here is Lincoln as he really was—a gentle, determined man obsessed with death yet filled with life, troubled with bouts of melancholy yet blessed with a witty nature, and gifted with a tal...more
Narrated By: Nelson Runger
The Los Angeles Times hails this biography as the finest ever written. With an outstanding blend of brilliant scholarship and entertaining style, Professor Stephen B. Oates brings us closer than ever before to knowing the real Abraham Lincoln. Here is Lincoln as he really was—a gentle, determined man obsessed with death yet filled with life, troubled with bouts of melancholy yet blessed with a witty nature, and gifted with a tal...more
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A former professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is an expert in 19th-century United States history.
Oates has written 16 books during his career, including biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, and John Brown, and an account of Nat Turner's slave rebellion. His Portrait of America, a compilation of essays about United States history, is...more
More about Stephen B. Oates...
Oates has written 16 books during his career, including biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, and John Brown, and an account of Nat Turner's slave rebellion. His Portrait of America, a compilation of essays about United States history, is...more
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